Butter makes everything better
Butter is arguably one of the most important ingredients in a kitchen. When using butter in a recipe, make sure you determine whether it should be cold, room temperature, or melted. Butter is also for greasing pans for baked goods, and it can be substituted in many recipes for oil.Clarified or drawn butter has undergone a process of separating the milk solids from the butterfat. The benefits of this are that it can be heated to a higher temperature than butter without burning and it can also be stored without going rancid. Drawn butter is typically served with steamed lobster, crab or clams.
To make one cup of clarified butter, you'll need 11/4 cups of butter because you will loose approximately 25 percent of the original volume during the process. Place butter in a saucepan over very low heat. Let the butter melt slowly; do not stir the butter while it is melting. As the butter melts, it separates into three layers. The top layer is a thin layer of foam, the middle contains the bulk of the liquid, and the bottom consists of water and milk solids. Skim the foam off the surface of the butter and discard. Then, carefully and slowly ladle and skim the fat (the center layer) out of the pan and into another container. Be careful not to let any of the water from the bottom layer get into the ladle, as it will immediately boil upon hitting a hot pan, causing the hot clarified butter to spatter and potentially burn the cook.
Ghee is a clarified butter commonly used in India and throughout South Asia. Traditionally, ghee is made from butter churned out of Indian yogurt (curd). It is boiled and constantly stirred until all the water is evaporated, then further heated to get a pleasant flavor, slightly cooled and filtered through muslin to remove sediment. Ghee can be found in the ethnic foods sections at many large grocery stores, or you can make ghee yourself.
To make ghee, place butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring butter to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. The butter will form a foam which will disappear. Ghee is done when a second foam forms on top of butter, and the butter turns golden. Brown milk solids will be in bottom of pan. Gently pour into heatproof container through fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Store in an airtight container, making sure to keep free from moisture. Ghee does not need refrigeration and will keep in an airtight container for up to one month.
Brown butter is made by cooking butter long enough to turn the milk solids and salt particles brown while cooking out any water present. This technique creates a more complex and nutty flavor than melted or clarified butter. It is traditionally served with fish, but it makes a delicious topping for steamed vegetables and it adds a deep, nutty flavor to sweet items such as butterscotch pudding or cream cheese frosting.
To make brown butter, melt butter in a saucepan on medium high heat, stirring constantly. As soon as the butter becomes a light tan color, remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir as it cools for at least two minutes.